The nations of the region are all experiencing shrinking workforces and rising life expectancy – in some cases at the same time. In October, The Economist ran an article with the headline, “Poor Asian countries face an aging crisis.” A regular reader...
Neither the will nor the material conditions are present for an effective anti-corruption campaign in Laos. Corruption is often seen as a byproduct, a quirk, of a political system. But in many authoritarian states, it is actually the modus operandi. Consider...
In September 2021, the European Union (EU) released its very first Indo-Pacific strategy. While its assessment of the current geostrategic and geo-economic challenges is highly accurate (notably if read together with the EU’s 2019 China strategy), the Indo-Pacific strategy has...
Welcome to the 50th issue of the CEEasia Briefing. In this issue, we dissect the following topics: EU’s probe into Chinese train maker China’s graphite exports to Hungary Vietnam-Germany relations EU sanctions against Indian company If you like what you see, please...
Mongolia is sandwiched between two great authoritarian powers, namely Russia and China. The complexities of these triangular dynamics will be explained by looking at the historical entanglements and contemporary power dynamics. Which dynamics shape the triangular relationship between these three countries?...
Opposition parties should take a page out of the ruling CPP’s book and begin a process of generational renewal. In April, Cambodia’s former Prime Minister Hun Sen will end his eight-month sabbatical. After resigning from his position as prime minister...
From afar, Japan is often perceived as a homogenous nation with little ethnic diversity. This perception is further perpetuated and endorsed by the Japanese government. However, throughout history, Japan has been home to various ethnic groups, including the Ryūkyūan and...
What does the Cambodian Senate presidency mean to a ruler who is already all powerful? Every politician, especially one whose chokehold over a country lasted nearly four decades, needs some time off. Hun Sen, who handed over the prime ministership of Cambodia...
Since late 2023, the Houthi attacks on Red Sea commercial shipping have led to growing concerns about the global spillover effects of the tense geopolitical situation in the Middle East. With around 15% of global trade passing through the Red...
Three years after the failed military coup in Myanmar, there is genuine hope within the country for democratic resistance. By the end of 2023 and into the beginning of 2024, Myanmar reached a turning point, with significant successes achieved by...